Patent · US Expired

Semiconductor memory device having information indicative of presence of defective memory cell

US5303192A · kind A · utility

43Cited by
8References
23Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 6, 1992
Grant dateApr 12, 1994
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 6, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C29/88
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor memory device storing data having a unit of N bits (N is an integer) includes M memory elements (M is an integer and larger than N) each divided into a plurality of blocks each having a plurality of memory cells each storing one-bit data, and M internal bus lines each carrying one-bit data and connected to a corresponding one of the M memory elements. A designating circuit receives an address signal from an external device and designates one of the plurality of blocks of each of the M memory elements so that M blocks are designated by the address signal. A ROM stores information on whether or not each of the plurality of blocks of each of the M memory elements has a defective memory cell and outputs the information in accordance with the address signal. N external bus lines individually carry one-bit data. A bus line switching circuit determines whether each of the M blocks designated by the designating circuit has a defective memory cell by referring to the information from the ROM, and selectively connects N internal bus lines among the M internal bus lines to the N external bus lines so that one of the M blocks which has a defective memory cell is prevented from …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.